The Mage and the Dragon
by shewolfspirit
Summary: Fai and company meet up with a mysterious lady magician and Fai immediately becomes infatuated. However,she harbors a terrible secret and a terrible curse, the Mark of the Dragon. Post-story, T-rated for now
1. Chapter 1

The silver knight staggered to his feet, blood dripping from his blade and from his own numerous wounds. He lifted the blade again, determined to finish this. He pressed the blade against the chest of his fallen opponent, determined to finish this. He could feel the jagged, pained breath of the person reverberating through the metal, along with the gasps of pain. For a moment, he hesitated. But only for a moment; this one had done too much to deserve mercy.

The blade easily sliced through the black fabric of his cloak, through skin, and muscle. His back arched, and only drove the blade deeper. Blood pooled around silver blade, and the knight collapsed, and died not long after. But he died knowing that he had killed the person that would end the lives of so many others. And he died a happy man.

But his prey did not die so easily, nor so quickly; not to say that death was not approaching in its own cruel process. The blade was embedded in his chest, and through his pain, could hear, and feel everything, know everything. And what a terrible hell in its own right, to be completely lucid and unable to move a muscle.

The figure in black felt the air itself begin to buckle and warp, then it shattered. The presence was suddenly there, towering over the bloody person, soon to be a corpse, and its was _powerful, _so very powerful that its entrance shattered the world around its point of entrance.

Its spoke, voice proud and calm, offering a deal, to stave off death. But like everything, in every world, it had a price.

Without a spoken word, the dieing agreed, no matter what the price.

"Come on, Kuro-doggie!" Fai called, dodging the punch aimed at his face.

"Don't you call me that, you damn mage!" The ninja, Kurogane, replied as he pursed the blonde magician as he leapt cleanly over the countertop, and landed with the same light-footedness he always displayed. The ninja cleared the counter, only to barely miss Fai as he ducked away, and sidled towards the door.

"You're not getting away!" he picked up a pot, and hurled at towards the blonde man. That damn grin was the last thing the ninja saw as the mage ducked out the door.

"You know he doest that on purpose right?" Syaoron stated, walking calmly over to the door and picked up the pot. He placed it back on the counter, and the ninja replied, "Yeah, I know. But it still pisses me off."

"We should go look around." the boy stated, removing the olive-green cloak, and placing it, too, onto the counter. They were currently in a large penthouse, of which belonged to the mayor of the town. And in exchange, they had to investigate a series of gruesome murders. And, for the moment, they didn't have a problem with the arrangement.

But that didn't mean that they weren't pressed for time.

After a second of contemplation, Kurogane agreed.

As soon as I exited the penthouse, my customary grin faltered and my mood darkened.

I left the lapel of my coat move, and Mokona poked her head out from underneath the warm fold of cloth. "What's wrong, Fai?" she questioned. I reached up, and placed a calming hand on her head; I felt her heartbeat under my hand. "Nothing, Mokona." I hated to lie to her, but, even if they knew everything there was to know, breaking down the walls I had built would take a great deal of time. The ability to trust (or lack of) was the first of those walls. And I was trying desperately to convince myself that I was letting these people in but I knew that was not the case.

I could feel her tense under my hand, and it was obvious that she did not believe me. But, and gods bless her, she did not asked anymore questions. "It's cold, Fai." she stated, and jumped down from my shoulder, into my coat and curled up there. It was not nearly as cold as the land as I was from, but I did not point that out. However, I had to admit, that it was brutally cold, even in this huge building, on the top floor.

I reached the elevator, and once the ornate door slid open, stepped inside. I pressed the button for the first floor, and retreated to the corner. I buried my face in my hands; I could feel the beginnings of a migraine building and the blaring lights of the elevator car were doing nothing to ease its effects. "Fai…" Mokona whined.

"I am alright, Mokona." I replied, pinching the bridge of my nose before I looked down at her and smiled. "Fai's in pain…" The elevator doors slid open and the small space was filled with voices from a large party on the first floor. The building we were currently inhabiting housed a theatre, ballroom and bar, and anything else that supplied a party-going atmosphere.

I pushed through the crowd, not registering the foul looks, or smart comments. The archway called me, and suddenly I found myself outside, in the blessed silence and darkness. I stumbled, knees threatening to buckle as the migraine slammed into my brain with a vengeance, sending white lances of pain through my brain with every beat of my heart. A strangled gasp escaped me as I staggered over to the wall, in an effort not to go down.

"Fai!" My vision, in the eye I had so recently regained, flickered as the migraine doubled in intensity. I'd had migraines before, but this took the cake. Usually, my body only reacted like this when in the presence of strong magical power. I swept the area, in an attempt to locate the source of the magic. I felt it on the very edge of my vision, moving faster than any human and disappeared, and instantly the ailment was gone. I backed up against the wall, hands pressed against the rough marble surface in an effort to get back on my feet.

Once there, I swayed. "Fai…" I opened my eyes, and for the first time since we arrived, was free from pain. I once again reached out, searching; I traced the residual trail of magic from where it disappeared at the edge of my vision. It weaved back and forth for miles and faded to nothing when it reached the edge of town.

I slid out into white expanse that was the sea of perfect snow, the thin layer of ice crunching under feet. Black skeletons that were hibernating trees broke out from the snow, like some great sea beast breaching the surface. The tips of the trees scraped an equally black sky, peppered with brilliant white stars and a beautiful silver moon, high in the sky.

"Fai, where are you going?" As broke from the building and sprinted through the sleeping forest, feet barely breaking the surface of the snow, I felt, well, good. That was the extend of my feeling; for the moment there was no pain, no anger, no worry. I laughed, somersaulting in the air, the movements coming so easily that it would put even a bird to shame.

I flew through the forest, one of the few instances that I actually enjoyed myself. I felt the presence of the wolves, wild and free as they, too, flew across the surface of the snow, following just out of sight. I felt no aggression, only curiosity. For a while they were silent. Slowly, slowly, their voices filled the silence, a beautiful orchestra of howls. As their song reached its peak, they showed themselves, lithe bodies made out of shadow, flying across the surface of the snow and blazing suns their eyes.

The farther we ran, the bolder they got, until so close I could feel their warm breath and the boldest of them, the alpha, nudged my hand. I knew that, if I showed any fear, they knew attack, just like any other wild animal. But I did not fear them; for the moment, they were my steadfast companions.

The male alpha, jet-black against the white snow ran at my left; on my right the female alpha, a less-striking, but no less beautiful, shade of black. Her eyes were shining amber; his were green.

"Welcome, my friends, my companions," I laughed, and they howled in turn with me. From the rabbit's place on my shoulder, I felt her relax, and then, laughed too.

For several miles, as I followed the magician's trail, the wolves followed, silent companions. Then, one by one, the pack broke off and disappeared back into the woods.

I vaulted over the top of a ridge, and the magical essence suddenly increased in intensity. Knees bent, I landed hard, my feet sinking several inches into the snow. I felt an old injury from Outo beginning to ache from the cold, and the bad landing.

I scanned the area; all there was was snow and black trees. But I could not disperse the feeling that there was _something; _I could not pinpoint its source, the area was so saturated by magic.

"Looking for me?" A voice broke through the silence. I snapped; there, in the tree; a figure in a black cloak, which concealed everything. I could feel the magical essence dripping from this person, but nothing like before.

I smiled, "And what if I am?" A black-clothed arm beckoned; and the person said, "Then come at me, mage."

Magicks met in midair, coiling against each other as both vied for dominance. An instant later, both shattered, sending shards of blazing energy arching through the sky, like lightning bolts. An explosion akin to standing in the heart of a thunderstorm followed, rolling into the forest, breaking the silence.

But I could not concentrate on that - this other mage was experienced, launching attacks from every angle, and in every form. I dodged an attack, sliding up into the cover of the trees as the other mage strafed me. As I landed on one of the huge branches, the entire trees buckled forward, and snapped clean in two. I twisted out of the way as the huge tree slammed into the snowy ground, sending up a sheet of white.

Magic sliced through the snow; I replied in kind, and another boom of thunder shattered the night. I was honestly surprised at how strong these attacks were. The mage launched an attack, while simultaneously slicing in from the right, curving upward towards my chest.

I slid out of the way of the former; the second blast of magic sent me reeling as I crashed into my defensive wards.

"You are not too bad, friend." I commented, smiling, but received no answer. But underneath my façade, I built up a particularly strong spell, forming it as I realized just how much of an adversary this person was.

"However," I continued, "I fear we must end this dance, friend. I have business to attend to."

"Shall this be that last blow, then?"

"I regretfully have to say that it is. But this has been entertaining."

"Yes, I agree. It is not every day that I get to hone my skills against such a powerful mage."

With that, we charged. I muttered the spell that I had been forming. As the spell connected, the other mage muttered three words, but they their effect as massive. The spell slammed into me, and it was like being hit by a train. I stumbled backwards, breath knocked out of me.

I stumbled back against a tree, and tried to regain my breath. That spell, those _words- _they were from no form of magic that I had ever learned.

The black mage walked over and extended his hand. "Let's call this a draw, shall we?" I saw that he favored his right leg.

I smiled, and took the hand the mage offered. Far in the distance, I could feel the presence of people approaching. I scanned the area- trees were snapped in half, and scorch marks had sliced through five feet of snow the ground below.

"Well, it is about time that I was heading back." I stated, keeping hold the mage's hand, and I felt person tense, "And for such a worthy opponent, might I get a name?"

For several seconds, there was no answer. Then, a whisper, "Freya."

"Fai." She jerked her hand free, and bolted.

I turned away, curious and concerned; mostly about this strange woman. But also the magic she had used, the one I did not recognize. But all the damage I received was a loss of breath- no broken bones or lacerations.

For such a short phrase, it held such incredible power.

"Fus Ro Dah."

Syaoron and Kurogane had just entered the lobby went the first explosion rocked the building to its core. Screams erupted from the terrified partiers as the first wave hit, rocking the building and windows bowed inwards and shattered, sending a deadly hail into the building. The whole floor bucked, and cracks formed in its intricate marble surface.

That was just the wave of air proceeding it; then came the sound, a low rumble a first, and suddenly the full force of the sound wave hit. Everyone collapsed to the ground, holding their ears.

When they could finally stand again, Syaoron and Kurogane lumbered to their feet. "Kurogane…isn't that Fai's magic" Syaoron yelled, not even realizing how loud he was, as he reclined at the wall for support.

"Yeah. Its definitely that damn mage." The ninja replied, throwing open the door and disappearing into the night.

The second explosion hit several seconds later. And this time, they were not in the shelter of the building, so they were not protected from the full force of the blow.

With several spells, I managed to cover the deep wounds in the surface of the snow. However, there was nothing to be done about the trees that were snapped in half.

I finished the best I could, and began to make my way back. "Hey, Fai." Mokona spoke- I'd forgotten about her- "That lady was pretty strong, wasn't she?"

I agreed. "But she didn't hurt you, did she?"

"No, Mokona." However, the fact was, she _could have._ My final spell had wounded her; that I knew for sure. And I knew that she knew that I was going for it. As I sprinted back through the forest, I noticed that every single of the trees, the branches were snapped, or bent outwards from our fight, and their trunks were clear of bark, white bellies exposed, skinned cleaner than any knife could have ever done. Tons of snow had been thrown against them, creating a glass-like sheet of ice.

It was a shocking realization that brought me out of my stupor. I slammed to a stop, feet digging into the snow- if our fight could do this to these huge trees, what could it do to people? There was no doubt in my mind, that after the first blow, and the resulting blast, that my companions would come running.

If they were caught in the open….there was no way they could have survived.

"No…" They could be buried in the tons of snow. Or they could have been destroyed all together, and there wouldn't even be a trace.

"Fai!" Mokona's shrill voice broke the silence, and she tugged at my hair. She was pointing towards one of the trees and collapsed against them, was the boy and the ninja. I felt a surge of relief. I quickly scanned over them- they appeared no worse for wear, except Syaoron had a cut across his arm. But it had nearly stopped bleeding, so I assumed that it had occurred earlier. But no broken bones, no burns….

I heard movement and turned to find the alpha wolves watching me. Their pack fanned out behind him, eyes curious, ears alert.

"You've been watching over them?" I questioned, "…Thank you." The huge male wolf stared at me for a second more, then turned away and the pack followed.

"Fai…don't you feel that?" the white rabbit asked.

"What?"

"It feels like that lady." I tensed- now wasn't the time for another round. But I realized that the magic was flowing from Syaoron and Kurogane.

"I'll have to repay her for this, if I ever see her again." For the second time that night, I had underestimated my opponent. While we had been fighting, she had been weaving wards that had shielded my friends from the after-effects of our attacks.

What I fool I was.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello, good people :) **

**Please note: Yaoi scene. If you don't like, don't read.  
**

**I don't own Tsubasa.  
**

* * *

The Mage and the Dragon

Chapter II: Aftermath and Alcohol

The damage to the building, that was for the moment home, was minimal, and mostly superficial. Windows on most of the floors were shattered and cracks ran like spider webs across the ground floor. But the building held, if a bit worse for wear. And until the windows could be replaced, the open spaces of any inhabited rooms were covered with blankets, to stem the flow of cold air into the building.

Not that they did much good- I shivered and pulled the cloak closer I was exhausted, but too high-strung to sleep. After I had found my companions, we had returned to the hotel, where we, for most of the night, had assisted the injured. Surprisingly, there was nothing worse than a broken arm, despite the apparent damage. And the boy and the ninja were too engaged in the relief effort that they did not ask questions about where I had been.

Now, here I was, sitting cross-legged into the living room of the flat, next to a shattered window, and going on forty-eight hours without sleep and couldn't sleep a damn. I felt a touch of envy, for as soon as they got back,, both Kuro and Syaoron had retired to their respective rooms, while I waited for sleep to come calling. It would be a while, yet.

I rose to my feet, and began to pace, back and forth. I felt as if I downed several dozen cups of coffee in the last hour; I was even slightly shaking, like from an overload of caffeine.

I moved into the kitchen, the living having bored me after several passes and rummaged through the well-stocked cabinets. After I found what I was looking for, I swung up onto the counter and broke the seal on the whisky bottle.

I raised it to my lips and took a deep swing, the strong liquor burning my throat. I hoped it would be enough to knock me out and slow the open sluice-gate of random thoughts. And to that effect, I took another shot.

As the alcohol did its work, pulsing through my blood, a warm heavy blanket over my limbs. The customary buzzing soon filled my head, so annoying…

I finished off the bottle- it was quite a large bottle, I noticed- and tossed it into the sink, where it shattered. I giggled, amazed at the number of glass pieces, so many…they were boring, so I lurched off the counter and nearly cracked my head against the island as I stumbled. I gripped the marble edge of the counter as the world split into threes and fours.

Visions steadily sliding to darkness, I stumbled back into the living room. Where had I put my coat? There…after several failed attempts, I was pissed and , finally managed to grab my coat. I collapsed onto the sofa and drew it tightly around me, like a cocoon. I rolled onto my stomach, curling deeper into the dark sanctuary.

At least there weren't three or fours of everything now.

But even sleep didn't free me from stresses.

* * *

"Freya, so let me get this straight…you got into a brawl with a _mage? _Do you know how long its be since I've seen a mage, besides you?" Albion questioned, flexing his claws and burying them deep into the flesh of the sofa. Albion was a cat the size of a large dog, sixty pounds solid. His thick fur was glacier-blue on his back and faded to white on his belly; tendrils of the same blue curled down his long legs to his paws, which were solid blue. His long tail was half blue, half white. A strip of pitch-black guard hairs ran from the outer corners of his eyes, up into solid black tufts on his ears (which gave him the distinctive look of a lynx), meet into an arrow point on his forehead and ran back along the entire length of his body. His eyes were glowing amber, surrounded by black lids, which only made them stand out more.

I reached out and rubbed the base of his ears between my fingers, "Yes, Albion." I stated as he began to purr, "I fought a mage."

Before I could finish, he broke in, "But _why? _You were injured in the fight, Freya. He was obviously quite good."

I sighed, "It's not that bad." His gold eyes narrowed, " 'Not that bad'?" he hissed, "you can barely fucking walk and its not that bad?"

I met his gaze unflinchingly. After several seconds, he broke his stare and contented himself by digging his claws into my leg, just below the slice across my thigh. I was not in the mood to argue with him, just tired. The wound in question, caused by a flying tree branch, had already begun to heal and was now only a dull ache. But such a fast recovery had its faults- one of which was I had no energy whatsoever.

"So, why? And what did this magician look like?" the cat asked and I took a bit of joy in the fact. No matter how mad his was, his infallible sense of curiosity would get the better of him.

I feinted sleep and I felt him move and growl in frustration. I cracked open one eye, just enough to see- his ears were flatten against his head and his black-tinged lips were pulled back to show his teeth and his tongue was lolling from his mouth. It was a hilarious expression, honestly. But I just giggled and his eyes were one me, wild and mortified that he'd been witnessed in such a foolish expression.

He jumped from the couch, indignant. I leaned forward and rested my elbows on my knees. "He and I were bored. That's why." I paused, holding up one finger like a was talking to a child, "and second," two fingers, "he was tall and thin. Blonde hair, blue eyes. But he was strong, despite his small stature." I stopped there- of course there was more that I could tell Albion, from the mage's strange clothes to the form of his magic. I shivered at the thought- I had been to many worlds and encountered many different magics, but his was one I had never encountered and the fact that I didn't recognize it put me on edge.

But I chose not to tell the cat these things.

"Albion, let's go out for a while." I stated, climbing to my feet. The slice across my thigh protested. I slid across the small hotel room, the cat at my heels. Both of us were tense.

I pushed opne the door and an icy wind sliced into the open space. I pulled my cloak tighter and pulled my hood up to cloak my face in shadow. The sun was barely a ghost on the horizon, and just beginning to turn the black eastern sky a navy blue. The hotel was at the center of town, on the corner of the town's two main roads. The rest of the town extended outward from the intersection. The high-class establishments dominated this area, from shops, hotels and restaurants, with all their bright colors and flashy advertisements. The further away from the "Gold Cross" one got, the less wealthy it got, bright colors fading to different shades of grey and brown and steadfast buildings were a rarity, most looking like they would collapse at any moment.

It was toward that part of town that we were headed. We exited the hotel lobby and onto the boardwalk that hovered above the surface of the snow. From one of the alleyways came a rumbling breath and a huge beast lumbered out from the alley. It resembled a large anteater covered in thick white fur, from the huge paws and long claws and thick tail. But the resemblance ended there- it had a board, thick head and two huge horns extended from its brow in a huge arks to either side of its head to nearly touch the ground and were shaped like plows. The swing of its head from side to side as it walked would shovel snow from the roadways and onto the sides of the road. The buildings were far enough away from the road that their doorways weren't sealed up in snow.

No wonder no one in town batted an eye at Albion, with beasts like these lumbering around. Marching at the beast's shoulder on top of the snow, was the beast-master with his crop at the ready. But yon beast gave no indication of going on the rampage anytime soon.

The master turned to us, "That's an interesting beastie ya got there. Never seen one like it."

I thanked him, (I guess that was the right response). He paused and the snow beast turned with him, large grey doe eyes curious as they landed upon Albion. The cat trotted forward, to sniff the animal, who also craned its neck as well. "So what are ya'll doing out so early?"

"I need information. And the only place to get it is…" I didn't know if he would take offense if I called it the 'poor district'.

"It's the poor district you're headin' for?" he chuckled, hopping up on the boardwalk. "The only places still open at this time of night would be the bars. And only cutthroats and thieves are still out, then. But if you are dead-set on going, I can give you a ride." With that, he pointed to the beastie.

"You can ride yon beastie?" I question, dubious. "Yeah, on her horns." He jumped and rushed over the snow beast and scampered up her horns and sat crouched in the hollow of her horns at the forehead. "Right here." he laughed.

"Ok," I stated, "You got me there."

Within a minute I sat on top of the snow beast, cradled in between its horn and its head. It was actually quite warm and the slow sway of its stride and its steady breathing was relaxing. After a while, the master hummed and the beast lumbered to a stop. "Sorry, friend, but this is as far as I can go." he sounded nervous.

"Thanks, friend."

"If you are looking for information, go to the bar on at the end of yon alley." he pointed, "but watch yourself, friend."

I jumped to the ground and moved into the dark of the alley. Albion had already trotted quite a ways into the alley and was looking back at me, expectant.

The bar was a shit-hole, barely more than a lean-to made of weathered grey boards. It didn't have the decency of a door, just gaping hole. From it flowed the stink of garbage and stale alcohol. Albion growled from his place at my side. It screamed dangerous.

Despite my discomfort, I whispered, "Come on."

* * *

I awoke to the sound of footsteps and knew it was Kurogane, but I wanted to see what he was up to, so I feigned sleep. He normally didn't try to move so quietly and I could feel his eyes on me.

I felt him move closer, still watching. I didn't move as he crouched down on his knees, red eyes glaring. He was considering something, so I decided to preempt him.

I giggled, "Well, what are you waiting for" I asked, reaching out to grab the collar of his shirt. I could already feel my body aching for this.

He followed his makeshift leash for several inches, before he grabbed my wrist and moved forward, twisted my arm above my head. He hovered above me, careful not to touch my anywhere else, his other arm braced against the back of the sofa.

"What the hell is wrong with you, mage?" He growled- I took note of the want and decided to play it.

"Nothing, Kuro." I purred, my free hand pulling him closer by the shirt. At first, he tensed, then relented. He removed his hand from my wrist, to cup my cheek and I moved into his touch, purring.

"Fucking cat." But a grin pulled at the corners of his lips. I traced the edge of his lips with my fingers, "Come on, you _know _you want to…." His face broke into a wolfish grin, and I knew I had him in the palm of my hand.

"But we are doing something _I've _wanted to try." he stated, voice low and lustful. He slid arms around me and picked me up. His fingers slid down the side of my pants to cup my hip, while he supported me with his other arm. He pressed his lips to mine, while I moaned at this touch.

"Can….we…at least…get to the room first?" I sputtered, burning with want. But I still had some shame- Syaoran was in a room just off the living room. But Kurogane's room was on the opposite side of the flat, so the boy wouldn't hear a thing. He carried me into the room and unceremoniously threw me down on the bed. He held both of my wrists on my one as he asked, "You trust me right?"

I nodded- "Good." Before I could say anything about the matter, he had removed his belt, tucked the tongue through the buckle and slipped the loop over one of my wrists, pulling it tight. With the same roughness, he jerked my hand away from my body with one hand, keeping me pinned with the other and tied the free end of the belt around the bedpost.

I winced as the buckle bit into my skin, as he pulled the leather as tight as it would go. He quickly removed my belt and did the same with my other hand. When he finished, he backed away, watching again. I pulled at the bonds and they didn't give an inch. The wolf-grin reappeared as he watched me squirm; I trusted him, but being unable to move from this position, spread eagle, was a bit disconcerting. But I also felt a aching, want- this was certainly a game we'd never played.

However, my lover wasn't finished yet. He took the bed sheet, ripped it in half and tied my ankles to the bedposts at the foot of the bed. Now I couldn't move at all, couldn't retreat, escape.

Kurogane slid onto the bed- his fingers nimbly undid the buttons of my shirt and his splayed hand was hot against my stomach, the other going lower. I arched into his touch and he crashed his lips against mine, tongue forcing its way into my mouth. After several seconds, he broke away for a breath and I attempted to follow, only to be stop short. He grinned as I pouted, devoid of his mouth on mine, and his grip on my still-clothed erection grew firmer.

"Aren't you…a little…well-dressed?" I asked, voice husky. His nimbly undid the button and pushed down my jeans and boxers, to leave me completely exposed. He jerked hard on my cock and I cried out in pleasure.

"You talk too much." He growled, crouching on top of me, legs to either side of my chest. His teeth found my earlobe, pinching playfully and his fingernails bit into my back. Our chests were pressed together and I could feel the rapid beat of his heart against mine. Gradually his mouth and his bite moved lower, leaving crimson marks down my chest.

Right above my bellybutton, he lifted his head and eyed me with a mischievous look.

I felt his tongue slide over my cock, and then his mouth, taking all me into him, up to the base. I screamed as his mouth contracted around me, teasing.

I was so close!

"Kuro…" Suddenly he was gone and his hand took my by the throat, killing his name in my throat. He rammed himself into me and I cried out. There had been no preparation, but it felt so _damn good…_but _shit_….it hurt….

* * *

The ninja was sitting in a chair on other side of room, his gaze recovering from lust. I leaned back into the pillows, limp and riding the high wave of pleasure. For once, a small, true smile graced my lips.

A sharp pain lanced down from y hands and into my shoulders, where it settled down into a deep ache. It was to go without saying- I had been tied up now for over two hours. But lower, there was a very different ache- this one, one of pleasure. I moaned through the strip of cloth that served as my gag; I felt the bed sink as Kurogane sat down. I couldn't see him- my shirt was rolled up over eyes, an very effective blindfold. The movement of the mattress sent another sharp pain down my shoulders.

With fingers that barely had any feeling, I brushed the bindings that still held me in place. "Did you enjoy yourself?" his deep voice questioned. _That's my question…_but honestly, I felt amazingly good. Suddenly the blinding garment was gone and red eyes were staring down at me. His chest was bare, coffee skin gleaming with sweat. He slid over me hovering; his fingers slid underneath the gag and freed my mouth.

I placed a sloppy kiss against his lips, "Does that answer your question?" He mirrored my grin, "However, can you please untie me?" If I didn't stop him now, we would be going at it again here in a minute.

His gaze alters from lustful to amused as he frees my left hand, "You don't want to go again?" I flexed my fingers to get some feeling back in them. I raised my arm and winced when another sharp pain raced down my arm. My wrist was crimson and my skin was imprinted with the pattern of the belt. A small rivulet of blood was running my wrist from the base of my thumb from the pinch of the metal buckle.

"Well, we'll have to fix that." The other belt was gone and he grabbed my hand- his tongue lazily traced its way down my thumb, warm and wet against my skin. I felt the familiar clenching of muscles as my body reacted in want. Suddenly, his mouth was around digit and I remembered the event of the last few hours and blushed uncontrollably.

"Kuro-pu, _no."_ I commanded, and his was a look of a kicked dog. My ass and belly were already hurting enough. "My ankles."

"Fine." Still that kicked dog look.

Once I was completely free, I swung my legs off the bed. The fucking (do not mistake it for loving-making) had left me sore, to say the least, but it was worth it. I was still riding the high and I was certainly an effective stress-reliever.

I noticed the blood dripping down my legs- no wonder I was hurting. "Such a brute." I mutter, playfully. The ninja evidently did not get the joke, for his mood darkened. He averted his gaze and muttered an apology.

"Kuro-pu, stop sulking. I am fine." I chirped and the statement was true enough- I felt giddy, better than I have felt in weeks, actually.

I grabbed my clothes and headed for the bathroom. It was a large room, easily big enough for twenty people. It was all grey floors, grey counters and appliances and white walls. Shower heads arched down from the ceiling to hover of the tub and it was all very sterile looking.

I switched on the shower heads, and steam instantly began to fill the room. I tossed my clothes on the counter, locked the door and slid underneath the nearly scalding spray of water. The water cut through the sheen of blood and dried cum and washed it away. I lifted my face to the spray, enjoying the feeling of clean.

I wished Kurogane was here and I imagined his touch…

_Kurogane…._

Although he would never see me as a lover, I had come to accept that fact. Only in times of great stress or depression did we ever revert to such an…intimate relationship. We had only done this twice before. And after we were done, it reverted back to the old way of things- me, picking on him and him, in fits of anger, chasing me. Such was the way of things, me pining after something that I could never have.

I felt a pang of envy, as an image of Syaoran and Sakura entered my mind. They had found each other; Kurogane had Tomoyo. They all had someone, whether lovers or sibling-like in their love. Yet who did I have? No one.

The thought instantly dispelled my giddy mood.

I couldn't stand the being cooped up in this hotel anymore.

* * *

"Something's up with you…" Kurogane growled as he swept past me and onto the boardwalk. There, he began to chat with Syaoron- I caught something about the huge snow beasts that wandered the area. But I was too troubled to join in on the conversation.

After we had departed from the hotel, we had decided to explore a bit, a thing that we had not had a chance to do, as of yet. Of course, like in every world he went to, we asked around. And we were directed to the rougher side of town. The bar we had just left had been the third and there, we had learned nothing that we did not already know.

Now, onto the next.

We moved down the boardwalk and Mokona's ears poked up from under Syaoran's coat. She jumped from her hiding stop and perched on my shoulder. She did not say anything, but her presence was calming and I enjoyed the effort on her part.

The bar was deep in a dark alley, which had yet been touched by the sunlight peeking over the horizon. It rank of stale alcohol and garbage.

"That's awful…" Syaoron muttered and covered his nose with his sleeve.

"It certainly is." I replied.

There was the muted sound of movement caught my attention and a whimper, deep into the darkness. Before I could stop myself, I was moving into the black. I heard Kurogane and Syaoron calling, but I ignored them

There was a man pressed up against the wall, his back to me. But underneath him, wrists trapped by his hand, and any way of escape closed off by his body, was the figure of a girl. Blood was dripping down her face. His other hand was dropping his pants and then began to worm its way up her shirt.

Another whimper escaped from the girl.

A rage like I've never felt before filled me.

I grabbed his collar, "Get off her, you sick fuck." and threw him. He crashed through the flimsy wall of the bar. Suddenly, there were several dozens of pissed off eyes on me from inside.

Suddenly, their anger turned to fear. Then a large animal moved into my view, a large cat. Its ears were pressed flat against its skull and a low growl was boiling from its throat.

Her voice was nothing more than a whisper, "Albion…"

* * *

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	3. Chapter 3

Chapter III

The drunkards moment of fear lasted only just that- then someone filled with liquid courage, bellowed, "Come on, it's just one fucking guy!" That made them braver and they lumbered forward. I backed away, shielding the girl as the cat stalked forward to meet them, very hair bristling. It didn't even give me a glance.

The men circled us, and behind, the wall. The rage that had filled me moments ago was back with a vengeance- they were rallying behind a rapist!

"Why are you attacking me?" I snarled, "He was trying to rape her!"

"She wanted it!" the pig roared, blood dripping down his face from a slice on his forehead. I risked a glance down at the girl and she was worryingly still and her eyes were clouded. There was no way in hell that she had consented. But from the animalistic howl, they did not feel the same.

They pressed closer and the flash of knives appeared in their hands. As the first made his move, the cat leapt and sunk its claws deep into his back. There was a collective yelp of surprise and in that momentary lapse, I turned and grabbed the girl by her arm. I yelped as the magics flowing over her skin scorched my fingers. I was shocked- it was the same magic as before!

No, I did not have time. I pulled her to my chest, my magic clashing with hers in a burning field of electricity. In on leap, I cleared the crowd with ease.

I sprinted down the alley and as I passed my companions, I shouted a warning at them. They did not hesitate, only turned to follow. I heard the mob charging down the alley; there was no way we could handle them all and still protect this girl. As if to make that fact more evident, she shuddered and another whimper escaped her.

"What the fuck, mage?" Kurogane growled, but then he saw the girl and his expression softened. "Shit. I guess that was that's all about?" He pointed back towards the mob.

He did not wait for a confirmation, only cracked his knuckles in preparation, that well-known grin spreading across his face. He was itching for a fight. "Kuro, not now. She's incredibly sick." His expression faltered, but he backed away.

"Then what the fuck are we supposed to do?"

"I'll take care of them." A strange voice broke in, and a man stepped forward, twirling a whip in his hands. He whistled sharply and a deep rumbling filled the air. The ground shook as the huge beast answered its master's call. The normally passive beast screamed aggression.

"Get the hell out of the way!" one of the men called; "I think not." He whistled again and the animal charged, lowering its massive horned head towards the mob. It was certainly a sobering sight- and instantly they broke scrambled apart to avoid the charging beast. Its horns clipped the edges of the alley, which instantly buckled under the force of the blow; grey wood splintered and the buildings sagged as its supports were destroyed. It swept its head right, tearing the structure from its foundation and its thick tail swept left, bowling over retreating drunks and taking down the building on the left.

I whistled- in less then three seconds, a confidant mob had been reduced to a few scattered, and not to mention terrified, drunks. Also, it had taken out almost an entire block just as quickly. _Glad I am not on the wrong end of that…_

A flash of blue appeared as the cat leapt over the snow beast's head and landed in a spray of snow. "Mokona, another world, please." I whispered and as her magic enveloped us, I uttered a thank you to the beast master. He nodded.

Mokona's circle of magic, of course, dropped us several yards above the ground. As I fell, I twisted, cradling the girl in my arms and my right shoulder met the ground first. I felt the bone shatter from the impact, but it barely registered. The scorching heat of conflicting magic overrode anything else. It was a crushing amount of magic and I did not have time to get enough distance before the girl was crushed by her own magic.

_How can she go from releasing such a crushing amount of power to barely any at all. Now she's crippled by it, because she isn't releasing enough. _The fluctuation was incredible.

I grabbed hold of her arm and burning raced up my fingers. I whispered the spell and angled it skyward. Her excess magic crackled over my skin, the power manifested as a huge bolt of lightning, scorching the night sky as it raced upward. In its wake, the smell of ozone and burnt skin.

I sighed- with the dangerous excess magic gone, that aspect of her illness was gone. But she was still not well; the fever-heat baked through the multiple layers of clothes. And she was shaking- no, convulsing. Her eyes were rolled back to reveal the whites and foam was dripping from the corners of her mouth. I supported her back with my arm and drew her upon my lap, so she would not further harm herself as she thrashed.

Gradually, the convulsions lessened and her breathing evened out.

Her eyes fluttered open and my breath caught in my throat. Blue, deep blue, like the color of the sky just before night completely claimed it and beautiful…They were glazed by fever-heat and confusion filled them, an ugly emotion for such beautiful eyes.

I shrugged out of my coat and drew it around her, to lessen her shivering. I couldn't look away from her and she curled up against my chest, drawing the cloak around her.

I was stunned, honestly, by her; she was beautiful. Her blue eyes were in sharp contrast to her flawless, almost-white skin, as well as her ebony hair, which was drawn back in a thick braid. She was tall and thin, much like I was. In fact, she couldn't be much shorter than I was, maybe an inch or two. That made her at least a head taller than Syaoron.

And I was hell-bent on protecting her, for reasons that I did not fathom.

* * *

He pressed up against me, pain in my wrists and from where he'd struck me…His eyes were coated in lust and his free hand pulled my shirt free and then his fingers were groping me…I recoiled from his foul touch, but my body wouldn't obey…Then his fingers were prying down my pants…not this, _anything_ else….

I whimpered; I couldn't fight him…

Suddenly the darkness was gone and the light drove away the shadow man. My heart was racing and my breath was harsh and painful in my dry throat as I shot up; without opening my eyes, I cradled my head in my hands. Every breath was hell on my parched lips and throat and I could taste blood. There was a dull ache behind my eyes. Even in the dark behind my eyelids, the world was still spinning and I felt it spin.

I pulled my knees to my chest and waited for the vertigo to pass. After an eternity, the attack passed.

Without opening my eyes, I searched my surroundings. Underneath, was a very soft blanket and it was incredibly warm; I fell back down into it and curled back up. The underside of it was fur and so incredibly soft. It had an indistinct, but not unpleasant smell and the frigid air was gone. In fact, the air was slightly humid.

I lifted my head and sniffed the air- it smelled slightly like laundry detergent and disinfectant. Then, I caught the scent of something…cooking? My stomach answered with a resounding rumble. To accompany the smell of cooking food, voices. I didn't recognize any of them and I started to panic.

"So, are you finally awake?" I felt the bed depress; "Albion." I sighed in relief. If he was here, I was okay. I stole a glance at him and he didn't appear to be tense. If anything, he was strangely relaxed. He was perched on the end of the bed, looking at me. Before he could move, I threw my arms around his neck; he was _here, _he was something _familiar. _He purred and I enjoyed this rare moment of affection.

But after a few seconds, he pulled away. "I was worried." he stated, moving to an arms distance. There was blood on his paws.

"About what?" he attitude was disconcerting. "Freya, I doubt that you remember, but you had a seizure and a very serious one, at that." He stopped; that wasn't all of it and unless I pried, I wasn't going to get any more out of him.

"Albion, don't lie to me. Was I….?" I dreaded the answer; "Gods, no….but, the pig tried." His answer threw me.

"Then how did we get here?" I whispered, sweeping my arm. It was a hotel room, with a large queen bed, and matching dresser and vanity. Flanking the bed, were two ornate tables and at the end of the bed was a dark leather couch. There were also two leather chairs.

There were three dark wooden doors, one to a bathroom, a closet and the another into the hall.

"The mage rescued you, Freya. And they had a method of world-transportation. After the…incident, there was a crowd that became quite unruly, they shifted worlds." I froze; "We could have been separated, then?" He inclined his head, his silence answer enough. I interlaced my fingers, to hide my shaking.

I heard the click of a door handle and one of the doors swung open. _Speak of the devil…_the mage smiled, but his easy demeanor didn't put me at ease.

"What the hell are you doing _back _here?" Albion snapped, his fur bristling.

"I just came to check on our friend here." he laughed, moving further into the room as Albion and I watched him. He placed a tray that he had been toting down on one of the tables. He reached across and his fingers brushed my forehead. I recoiled and just as quickly as it came, that touch was gone. "You still have a bit of a fever, but it is not nearly as bad. That's good." he drew away and there was blood dripping from the bite marks on his hand, in the webbing between his thumb and index finger. Albion snorted, licking his lips. Blood still stain his white teeth an eerie pink.

When he'd retreated back towards the door, he took a seat in one of the chairs. He leaned forward, crossed his long legs and rested his chin on his steepled fingers. There was that grin again, but it didn't reach his eyes. Those blue eyes were piercing, like he was trying to judge me through just one look, digging to the very depths of my soul. Like he was trying to dredge up very secret…

I looked away, unable to meet that gaze.

"If you're hungry, I've fixed you something to eat." he muttered; I glanced back at him and his gaze was now upon nothing in particular. But every few seconds, his eyes flickered up for a brief look.

The food seemed okay and Alboin would be here to protect me, if it wasn't. As I began to eat, my hunger hit me like a ton of bricks and I wolfed the rest of it down. "Thanks."

"No problem." he stood up and moved over to the edge of the bed, this time making sure to keep a safe distance. "My name is Fai D. Flourite," he stated, extending his hand.

"I thought that I already gave you my name." I growled. "You did, but not, well, very cordially. And it would be nice if you would give me your name again."

"Freya." I gripped his hand, long, pale fingers circling my hand and his skin was oddly cool. I was surprised by how strong his grip was and I knew then that I should not underestimate him. I swung my legs off the bed and as my feet brushed the tile, I shivered- the floor was cold! The mage's head cocked to the side, his blonde hair framing his face, giving him a very…_boyish _look. He looked amused, but in his eyes were filled with worry.

"If you feel up to it, would you like to meet my companions? They were quite concerned." I nodded; he moved out of the room.

The cat sidled up against my back, and I rested my palm on his head. "I don't know what to make of him," I admitted, "and I certainly don't trust him."

"I don't know if it will make any difference to you, Freya, but he cared for you while you were unconscious. He seemed genuinely concerned." Albion purred. I started- why would he do that, for someone he barely knew?

"Freya…_Freya_, stop chewing on your damn nails." Albion snapped; I dropped my hand. I hadn't realized that I was even doing it. It was a bad habit, which I indulged in when I was nervous or tense.

I stood up and whistled, "Let's go, Albion." I got the desired result and he hissed, "I'm not a fucking dog." But he hopped up and padded over to the door.

The door immediately opened up into a sizable living area, with a large sofa, a loveseat and multiple chairs. Flanking the sofa, were two tables and in front of it was a coffee table with a glass surface. Against one wall was a large bookcase, filled to the brim with tomes. On the other side of the room, separated from the living room by a hardwood counter, was the kitchen.

Sitting on the counter was the mage, and there were two other people, as well. Fai spotted me, hopped down from his perch and walked over. His fingers lightly rested on my shoulder, to guide me forward, but not feel overly commanding.

As we approached, the other two turned to look, curious. Fai gently urged me forward, but I hesitated. Something white moved on the counter and it jumped onto Fai's shoulder. "You're awake! You're awake!" a voice squealed; its source appeared to be a little white ball of fur, four legs, two long ears and there was a jewel on its forehead. It appeared to be a plump white, _talking_ rabbit.

And it was goddamn _adorable._

"A talking rabbit?" I stuttered.

"No, no, silly! Mokona is Mokona! Not a rabbit!" it laughed, "Let me see her, Fai!" he offered his palm and hopped down into his palm. He presented the talking rabbit to me, "Ummm…." I leveled my hand and it jumped from his palm to mine. Its fur was incredibly soft and warm; I cradled it, Mokona, in my arms. I giggled, it was so damn cute!

"So, kid, you alright now?" a deep voice questioned, mimicked instantly by the rabbit. The man who'd asked me was tall, taller even than Fai. _Is everybody in this group a giant? _I was tall, but these people made me feel little. His skin was deeply tanned, covering a layer of thick, yet lean muscle. His hair was black and spiky, a complete opposite to the mage and his eyes were crimson. He was kind of intimidating. He reclining against the counter, arms crossed. His gaze gave any nothing.

"I'm fine." I muttered.

"That's good. We haven't seen hide nor tail of that damn mage 'cause he's been worried sick, and taking care of you. " The man snorted and he grinned. This man had a harsh way of speaking and spoke his mind without hesitation. I would trust him before I would trust the mage, who hid everything. Or almost everything.

But I didn't miss the look that went between them, those crimson eyes holding…jealousy?

"Name's Kurogane." I snapped out of my haze; I rolled the name on my tongue, but I couldn't form it properly. "Umm, could you say it again?"

"Just call him Kuro," Fai chuckled.

"Don't you dare get her started on that shit too!"

"Don't pay any attention to them." A fourth voice broke in; I glanced over and it was a boy, who'd appeared from one of the other bedrooms. He rested his elbows on the opposite side of the counter, watching me with curiosity. He was slightly shorter than I was, with a head of mousy brown hair, with brown eyes to match.

"My name is Syaoran." He had a softer way of speaking compared to his companions, but he was confident in his own way.

"Freya."

"It's a pleasure. Now, if you will excuse me, I might have to break the two of them up." He moved into the kitchen proper, where the mage was being pursued by Ku..Kuro…._Kurogane. _

I slipped out of the kitchen and took a seat on the couch. "You okay?" the rabbit asked, who I'd forgotten was still in my arms. "Yeah, Mokona."

"Okay…"

"It's…just a lot to process, that's all." The rabbit tensed as Albion hopped onto the couch and curled up next to me. His golden eyes locked on the rabbit and he licked his chops.

"Albion," I warned. His stare broke and he rested his head on my thigh. Mokona peeked out from under a pillow, then jumped on top of the cat's head. His ears flattened as the uninvited guest laughed, "What a pretty kitty!"

I could see the anger brewing in his eyes; if he truly wanted to, he could chop the bunny in half. I fished her from her perch and when she complained, I told her that Albion had a bad temper. She whispered back, "Just like Kuro!"

"Hey, Freya!" Fai called, "would you like a drink?" I looked over the back of the couch and saw that the mage was pouring bourdon into shot glasses. Two glasses in hand, he crossed into the living room and took a seat. He presented the glass and I accepted it. I took note that the place where my companion had bitten him was gone- no evidence at all that it had even occurred.

How odd.

"So, Freya, how did you come about this beastie," he pointed at Albion, "and his ability to traverse worlds?"

* * *

Right after I asked the question, I knew that it was a taboo subject. Her entire body tensed and her eyes locked on me and they were filled with fear. Her hand absentmindedly rubbed the base of her neck, where her collarbones met. At first I thought that she was twisting a necklace, but her neck was free from jewelry.

"Sorry…" I started, but she was whispering, head lowered. I could here her, but just barely. "I don't remember…" Her voice was so filled with pain, longing and confusion, she might break under the weight of her own emotion. Before I realized what I'd done, I pulled her into a loose embrace. I felt her shudder, and after a moment, she pulled away.

Face turned away, she wiped her eyes. _Damn idiot…_ In the first question into her past, I already ruined any chances I'd had of learning anything.

So to say I was surprised when she began to speak was an understatement. "I just remember going from world to world- I don't know how I met Albion; he's just always been there. And I don't even know what I'm traveling _for._"

I had to tread _very _carefully, now, "The first world you remember; what was it like?" She drew her knees up to her chest and looped her arms around them.

"It was cold…and there were dragons, werewolves, vampires…numerous dangerous beasts. But the people were just as dangerous as the creatures." I inwardly started when she mentioned vampires, but I didn't let it show. "The people were trying to kill the dragons, and there was a war between men and dragons. Many of both died."

"So, mage, what about you?"

"What?"

"What do you mean, 'what'? How did you start traveling worlds with them?" Her tone was demanding, like I owed her an answer. Once again, I was surprised; so shy and so confident, almost arrogant, in one sweep.

I began the story of how I had met my companions and traveled with them to recover the girl-child's feathers. I gave the vaguest story I could, without going into details of my later…actions in our travels.

"So, where is this Sakura now?"

"We returned to her home and, afterward, she simply stayed." That was true, but it wasn't the entire truth. However, it seemed to satisfy her and she didn't push the issue further. She lifted Mokona, and commented, "I wouldn't think that such tiny creature has the power to move across worlds."

"So, what you like to do?"

With that, the edginess was dropped from the conversation. We talked about the usual shit, what we liked to read, hobbies, food, same old shit.

* * *

The world we, for the moment inhabited, was a mixture between Piffle World and Infinity. It held the technological level of Piffle- airships traversed the skies in droves, marking the blue sky with flashes of color; some were obvious citizen vessels, other military or offensive in nature. The city itself reached far into the sky, towers glittering in gold and white light; billboards blazed with every color imaginable. Huge metal rings floated in between the huge towers, connected by glowing blue tethers, creating flying train tracks. Huge trains four stories tall and two thousand feet long arched along these tethers, riding the magnetic lift created by the rotating rings to make it to the next and so on. The city was filled with noise, from the screaming and following boom of the mag-lift trains breaking the sound barrier and the hiss of airships; advertisements screamed out their wares, while noise of _people _filled the city to breaking. It was a barrage of sound and light.

But despite its brilliant appearances, it showed its dark underground raised its ugly head every night. When the skies were black, and the airships and trains had halted their runs, the public had departed the streets, and a relative silence reached across the city, the criminals and outlaws clambered out from their holes to do their business. And their business was dangerous business. When the public feared to tread, deadly fights occurred in silence, the people not even knowing of the death that was occurring right next door, or down the road, or a floor below. All the evidence was the blood- the bodies were gone, taken by the factions involved and disposed of. The authorities were left to wonder what the hell happened.

Just like Infinity.

It least they weren't active in the daylight, so we could at least halfway enjoy the city, which was called Rabanastre.

The bazaar was huge, taking up the entire western huge of the cross-shaped city and spanning more than a dozen stories. The entire thing was open air, almost like a stadium. One could spend an entire year exploring and still not encounter everything there was. There were restaurants right next door to weapon and armour shops, with animals being sold on the opposite side. Speaking of animals, one could even rent huge birds, called 'chocobos', to move around in the huge space. Small airships buzzed around in the open air, with long lines waiting to land at the numerous docking stations on every four levels of the market. People of every nature, nationality and race wandered the market, or hurried, depending. Technology connected every level of the wing.

Freya, from whatever world she'd come from (and from what I'd gathered, didn't sound highly advanced, no offense), took the use of technology in stride, and didn't appear too fazed by it. If anything, it fascinated her and she watched the buzzing flying craft and monorails with mild interest.

Since her animal companion was so large, they'd consented that he stay back in the hotel. At first, she was tense at being separated from him, and it was obvious that he'd been her only constant companion, but after several hours, she'd relaxed substantially. Before long, she was sliding in and out of the crowd, weaving and twisting like a pro, moving quickly without drawing attention; I used to pride myself on my ability to do that.

In fact, she could be a very good pickpocket.

Shit.

_Very good. _

I tried to follow, but even I couldn't move through the crowd like she could. I ground my teeth, the crowd pushing me back, moving in one solid mass. I never was one for crowds and that fact still hadn't changed.

"Lookin' for me?" Freya giggled; she had a mischievous grin that told me all I needed to know.

"How much?"

Her eyes glinted with a dangerous look, challenging- "What are you talking about?"

If I hadn't just watched her filching cash right under from under people's noses, I would have stopped my pursuit there. But I saved it for later- I wasn't about to get in an argument with her in the middle of the Rabanastre market.

She turned, moved towards one of the many market stalls and purchased a plate of food with the money she'd just stolen. She watched me watch her with a bit of malice; "I wonder what's going one there?" she pointed down towards a large platform, around which the entire populace of this level was gathering.

Suddenly a man jumped up onto the platform, megaphone in hand. "HELLO, PEOPLE OF RABANASTRE!" his voice bellowed and the thundering market was silent, "TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR PEOPLE TO ENTER THE TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS! SIGN-UP ENDS TOMORROW!" he lowered the mega-phone and hopped down from his perch.

"What's this tournament?" Freya wondered out-loud.

"You _must_ be from the desert if you don't know what the tournament is." a voice barked.

She was just as quick, "Must be. So what is it?"

"It is a competition to see who the best fighter in Ivalice is. People from all over the continent come and participate." the rude man replied.

The girl I couldn't figure out growled, "Let's enter,"

Had I been this incomprehensible?


End file.
